<-Strong points and weak points, and effectiveness with party members.->.

Abilities: Strength is the most important stat for a Blader, it affects their ability to hit and deal damage. As well as the DCs to various abilities. Constitution is important since you will be fighting on the front lines. Dexterity can be useful to avoid enemy attacks and boost your reflex saves. Wisdom is useful to gain the most out of your insight ability as well.

Races: Any

Alignment: Any

Starting Gold: <-starting gold; YdZ->×10 gp (<-average starting gold. This calculated by multiplying the number of die rolls by the die size plus one and multiplying the result by 5 [Y × (Z + 1) × 5].-> gp).

Starting Age: <-Select "Simple" or "As rogue", "Moderate" or "As fighter", or "Complex" or "As wizard", to let players know which starting age category to use for 1st-level characters->.

<-fluff about class features->. All of the following are class features of the Blader.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Blader is proficient with all simple and martial slashing weapons. With all armor (Heavy, Medium and Light). As well as shields (except tower shields)

Blade Expertise At 1st level a Blader shows his great proficiency with bladed weapons. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls when wielding any slashing weapon.

Weapon Art At 2nd level and every other level thereafter the Blader gains a special weapon technique that he can perform. These techniques are drawn from the Blader Weapon Art list shown below. A weapon art can only be used by a Blader wielding a slashing weapon. After a weapon art has been used unless noted otherwise it cannot be used for another 1d6 rounds. In order to learn a weapon art your Blader level must be equal to or greater than the requirement of that Weapon Art.

(Level 2) Swift Blade You strike the enemy with great speed and precision. Make a standard attack against an enemy with a +1 bonus on your attack roll. If you hit you may immediately make a second attack roll against that creature. If you hit, your attack deals additional 1d6 points of damage for every two Blader levels you have.

(Level 2) Counter Stance You steady yourself against oncoming attacks, you shift into a defensive stance and ready yourself to deflect your enemies' strikes. You delay your initiative until you are attacked, you gain a +4 dodge bonus to your AC and Reflex Saves, if succeed on a reflex save that would ordinarily deal half damage on a successful save you instead take no damage. In addition after being attacked you can now choose to take your turn, you gain a +4 bonus to attack and damage rolls made against any creature that attacked you prior to you taking your turn. You may only choose to take your turn after being attacked. If you were attacked but chose to not take your turn then, you can only take it if you are attacked again.

(Level 4) Keen Slash As your blade strikes the enemy it cuts them with impossible sharpness. Make a standard attack against an enemy, also increase your normal critical range by 3. If you threaten for a critical you gain a +4 bonus on your attack roll to confirm the critical.

(This modification to your weapon's threat range stacks with any other effect that modifies your threat range and is always applied after other modifications.)

(Level 4) Avenger's Blade You crouch down and lean forward, keeping your center of gravity low and your focus toward the foe. Using this ability is a full-round action, you preform multiple actions as a part of that in the following sequence. You close in on your opponent quickly, you gain a +10 bonus to your movement speed, you can only move toward the foe you wish to attack, not away. Once you are within range of them you make a single melee attack against that foe. If they are being threatened by an ally, treat them as flat-footed against this attack. In addition if this technique is used against a flat-footed foe, you deal an additional 1d6 + 1d6 per two Blader levels points of extra damage. This bonus damage does not apply against creatures that are normally immune to critical hits.

Rogue levels and Blader levels stack for determining the bonus damage dealt by this weapon art. This ability has a cooldown of 1d4 rounds.

(Level 6) Masterful Strike With peerless skill and mastery of slashing weapons you can bypass your opponent's defense to deliver a deadly attack. Make a standard attack against an enemy, for this attack you ignore the target's shield and armor bonuses to it's AC.

(Level 6) True Strike With focus and speed you slash at your foe, you attune yourself to your foes movements and adjust yourself to their fighting style. Make a standard attack on an enemy within range, you gain a bonus on your attack roll equal to half your Blader level.

(Level 8) Terrifying Slayer As a swift action, whenever you deal enough damage to cause a creature to die or be knocked unconscious. All enemies within 40ft of you must make a will save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 Blader Level + Charisma Modifier or become frightened.

(Level 8) Bladed Assault Your weapon gleams as you swing it, your foes see themselves reflected for a split second in the shimmering metal as you raise the weapon. You may use this weapon art only if you ended your last turn in a threatened square, doing so is a full-round action. If the foe you were in range of, is now further than 10ft away from you but not farther than twice your movement speed you may take a move action, doubling your movement for this round. If you are within melee range, either before or after taking this bonus movement. You now make a single melee attack against your foe, if you successfully deal damage they are unable to take a move action during their next turn, unless they succeed on a DC 10 + 1/2 Blader level + Strength Modifier fortitude save.

(Level 10) Devastating Flurry With unmatched speed and tenacity you strike your enemy with all you have. You make a full attack against a creature within range, all attacks you make as part of this full attack use your highest Base Attack Bonus. Each successful strike deals a cumulative 1d6 points of bonus damage, for example. If you hit the enemy with your first attack it would deal an extra 1d6 and if you hit again on your second attack that attack would gain a bonus 2d6 damage and so on.

(Level 12) Vicious Cut With all your strength you drive your weapon deep into your foe inflicting severe damage. Make a standard attack against a creature in range. If you hit your attack deals an additional 1d8 points of constitution damage from internal bleeding and ruptured organs.

(Level 12) Unrelenting Breaker With incredible strength you strike your enemy's weapon. Make a sunder attempt against your foe's weapon, you gain a bonus on this attempt equal to half your Blader level. You are also treated as having the improved sunder feat for this attack. If successful you bypass the weapon's hardness and inflict double damage against your target's weapon. If your sunder attempt successfully destroys the enemy's weapon, you may immediately make a normal attack against them.

(Level 14) Vorpal Slash As your blade strikes the enemy it cuts them with an unimaginably sharp edge. Make a standard attack against an enemy, you increase your normal critical range by 4. If you threaten for a critical you gain a +6 bonus on your attack roll to confirm the critical. In addition if you roll a 19 or a 20 on your attack roll and successfully confirm your critical hit. The attack strikes the neck, cleanly and swiftly it cuts your foe's head from their shoulders, instantly killing most foes.

This weapon art improves upon and replaces Keen Slash, it can only be taken if you have previously taken Keen Slash. The cooldown time for this ability is 1d8 rounds.

If Vorpal Slash is made with a vorpal weapon the attack roll needed to threaten for beheading is 18-20 rather than 19-20.

(Level 14) Merciless Edge With a powerful swing, your blade cuts through everything in it's path. Make a standard attack against a creature within range, for this attack treat your attack as a melee touch attack. If you hit, you ignore the target's Damage Reduction and Energy Resistance if applicable. If your attack deals enough damage to kill the creature or knock it unconscious, you may immediately make another attack using the same attack bonus as your first attack at another creature within range. You may repeat this as many times as it is applicable, using the effects of Merciless Edge on each enemy struck.

(Level 16) Reaving Counter As an immediate action, With lightning fast reflexes you deliver a staggering slash to an enemy attempting to strike you. When an enemy declares an attack against you, you immediately make an attack against them. If you successfully hit, you deal twice the normal damage, the attack is negated and the enemy is unable to perform any further actions until it's next turn.

If you use Reaving Counter while in Counter Stance, you instead inflict four times the normal damage.

(Level 16) Eternal Heat As a standard action you channel your burning spirit into your weapon, a coat of white hot flame sweeps across the edge of your weapon. For the next minute your weapon deals 1d4 per Blader level points of additional fire damage on a successful hit.

This weapon art is a supernatural ability, the cooldown time is 10 minutes.

(Level 18) Blade Supremacy As a free action, you demonstrate your unparalleled mastery over bladed weapons, you may make a full attack action as a standard action. In addition you gain a +3 bonus on all attack and damage rolls you make during this round. If you successfully inflict damage on an enemy at any time, they must succeed a fortitude save DC 10 + 1/2 Blader Level + Strength Modifier, or they become paralyzed for 1 round and take 1d6 points of dexterity damage. Even if they succed the save they are still subject to the dexterity damage.

(Level 20) Armageddon The earth itself trembles as you make your strike, the air around you is blown away by your slashes, you unleash a barrage of fatal attacks at your foe. You make a full attack at any creature within range, all attacks must be aimed at that creature. All attacks are made at your best base attack bonus. Each time a strike successfully inflicts damage, your foe must succeed on a fortitude save DC 10 + 1/2 Blader Level + Strength Modifier or die. On a successful save each attack still inflicts an additional 5d6 points of damage.

This is a Mastery Art, the cooldown time is 1d12 rounds.

(Level 20) Ruin Everything around you begins to slow to a stop as you lock eyes with your foe. In a blinding flash of speed you dart at them, your weapon raised high. You make a single charge at your foe, for this charge you provoke no attacks of opportunity for moving out of threatened squares and may charge across difficult terrain unobstructed. You must have a clear path to your foe however. You may move up to 3 times your normal movement. You gain a bonus on your attack roll equal to half your Blader level and inflict an additional 20d6 points of damage on a successful hit. The enemy is also subject to a bull rush to which you gain a +1 bonus for each square you moved during your charge. Unlike normal you do not follow your foe for this bull rush, they are flung back by the force of your strike. The enemy is always moved back an additional 10ft for every 5 points you beat their strength check by. If they are stopped by a creature or object they take 1d6 points of damage for each square they would have been knocked. The object or creature blocking the enemy's path also takes an equal amount of damage for each square they would have been moved.

This is a Mastery Art, the cooldown time is 1d12 rounds.

Insight(Ex) At 3rd level the Blader has learned to attune himself to the world and has gained the ability to meditate for a short amount of time to improve his abilities. A number of times per day equal to your wisdom modifier you may use this ability. As a swift action, you enter a place of stillness and merge your mind with the world around you, using all your senses to outmaneuver your opponents. You gain an insight bonus to your attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws and armor class equal to half your Blader level for 1 round.

Indomitable Spirit(Ex) At 5th level the Blader's strong will shows itself in the form of a strong resistance to fear and compulsion. The Blader gains a +4 bonus to saving throws against fear effects. In addition the Blader also receives a +2 bonus on saving throws to resist any Charm or Compulsion effect.

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.